Wen-Shou Tan^1,#, Hsuan Kuo^2,#, Chang-Ge Jiang¹, Mei-Han Lu¹, Yi-He Lu¹, Yung-Li Wang¹, Ching-Shuen Wang¹, Thi Thuy Tien Vo³, I-Ta Lee^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.070871 - 30 December 2025

Abstract This narrative review examines recent advances in salivary biomarkers for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a major subtype of oral cancer with persistently low five-year survival rates due to delayed diagnosis. Saliva has emerged as a noninvasive diagnostic medium capable of reflecting both local tumor activity and systemic physiological changes. Various salivary biomarkers, including microRNAs, cytokines, proteins, metabolites, and exosomes, have been linked to oncogenic signaling pathways involved in tumor progression, immune modulation, and therapeutic resistance. Advances in quantitative polymerase chain reaction, mass spectrometry, and next-generation sequencing have enabled comprehensive biomarker profiling, while point-of-care detection More >

Yongle Qiu^1,#, Kunshan Li^1,#, Wenjing Wang¹, Wenjuan Zhang², Jilun Liu², Yang Bai³, Fei Xu³, Jie Guo^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.069612 - 30 December 2025

Abstract Background: The regulatory mechanisms governing vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain largely undefined. This study aimed to identify critical factors and elucidate the epigenetic mechanisms underlying VM in OSCC. Methods: Bioinformatics analysis was performed utilizing single-cell RNA-seq, bulk RNA-seq, and histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-seq data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. ChIP-qPCR was used to validate the binding of ETS transcription factor ELK4 (ELK4) to the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) enhancer. In vitro VM formation and invasion of OSCC cells were… More > Graphic Abstract

Boxuan Han^1,2,#, Shaokun Liu^3,#, Ridhima Das³, Shiqian Liu⁴, Yang Zhang^1,2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.12, pp. 3633-3656, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.071296 - 27 November 2025

Abstract Organoid technology, characterized by high fidelity in mimicking the in vivo microenvironment, preservation of tumor heterogeneity, and capacity for high-throughput operations, has emerged as a critical tool in head and neck cancer research. To address clinical challenges in head and neck cancer management—including marked tumor heterogeneity, therapeutic resistance, and significant prognostic variability—this review focuses on four key translational applications of organoid technology: In mechanistic studies, organoid models provide a reliable platform for investigating tumorigenesis, progression, and drug resistance mechanisms. In personalized therapy, organoid-based drug sensitivity testing enables data-driven clinical decision-making. For biomarker discovery, organoids facilitate the More >

Yi Tang^1,2,3,4,#, Minyi Situ^1,2,3,4,#, Zhiming Wu^1,2,3,4,#, Yanjun Wang^1,2,3,4,#, Xinpei Deng^1,2,3,4, Zhicheng Liu^1,2,3,4, Shengjie Guo^1,2,3,4, Qianghua Zhou^1,2,3,4,*, Gangjun Yuan^5,*, Xingliang Tan^1,2,3,4,*, Kai Yao^1,2,3,4,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.12, pp. 3973-3989, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.066184 - 27 November 2025

Abstract Background: Current chemotherapy treatments, including the TIP (Taxol, Ifosfamide, Cisplatin) regimen, have shown limited effects but strong side effects in advanced Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) patients. Trophoblast cell-surface antigen-2 (TROP-2) is a novel target for antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) drugs and has been proven to be effective in several human cancers. This study aimed to explore the biological function and potential of the ADC target in PSCC cells. Methods: A total of 196 PSCC tumor tissue specimens and clinicopathological data were collected. TROP-2 expression was detected by IHC, and the correlation between TROP-2 expression and… More > Graphic Abstract

Bruno Špiljak^1,#, Bojan Poposki^2,#, Stjepanka Lešić^3,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.11, pp. 3269-3292, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.068395 - 22 October 2025

Abstract Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an aggressive cancer with high recurrence rates and prevalent resistance to therapeutic interventions. Tumor behavior is largely dependent on the tumor microenvironment (TME) that includes immune cells, stromal components, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the extracellular matrix (ECM), and an associated cytokine network. In this review, we examine principal mechanisms of the tumorigenic transformation, encompassing immune checkpoint disruption, therapy resistance mediated through CAFs, the contribution of hypoxic niches, and several metabolic dependencies that hold potential as future targets. Novel therapeutics developed and/or repurposed, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs),… More >

Jiao Li^1,2, Nurhayu Ab Rahman^1,3, Suharni Mohamad¹, Guang Yang⁴, Caixia Zhao^2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.9, pp. 2263-2278, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.065911 - 28 August 2025

Abstract Objectives: Checkpoint inhibitors have significantly improved outcomes in a number of malignancies. To determine the most effective course of treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), this systematic review evaluated the efficacy of several therapeutic approaches based on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Methods: A comprehensive evaluation of the literature was conducted, looking at randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that were published in Embase, PubMed, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials since database establishment. The risk of bias of the enrolled studies was analyzed using The Review Manager (RevMan) 5.4. Using network meta-analyses… More >

Li Yu^1,2,3, Xiaoyan Zhang^1,2, Yan Feng^1,4, Xinyue Liao^1,4, Tiejun Zhou⁵, Hang Si^1,4, Yun Feng^1,4, Decai Wang^6,*, Yongxian Lai^1,7,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.8, pp. 2037-2053, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.064276 - 18 July 2025

Abstract Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common head and neck malignancy with a low five-year survival rate. ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 5 (ABCB5) has been linked to tumorigenesis. However, its role in inducing OSCC remains unclear. Methods: Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blot, and immunocytochemistry (ICC) were performed to examine the level of ABCB5 in OSCC (CAL27 and HSC-3) and human oral keratinocyte (HOK). ABCB5 was knocked down in CAL27 cells using ABCB5-specific small interfering RNA (ABCB5 siRNA), and its contribution to migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT),… More >

VINOTHKUMAR VEERASAMY¹, VEERAVARMAL VEERAN², SIDDAVARAM NAGINI^1,3,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.8, pp. 1835-1860, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.064010 - 18 July 2025

Abstract The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway is one of the most frequently dysregulated signaling networks in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Although the tumor microenvironment (TME) and epigenetic modifiers are recognized to play a pivotal role in aberrant activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway in OSCC, the available evidence is fragmentary and a comprehensive analysis is warranted. This review evaluates the intricate mechanisms by which various components of the TME facilitate proliferation, apoptosis evasion, invasion, migration, angiogenesis, metastasis, as well as therapy resistance in OSCC through activation of PI3K/AKT signalling. The review has also More >

Fei Ren^1,#, Yansen Cai^2,#, Yang Song^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.8, pp. 2055-2074, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.061301 - 18 July 2025

Abstract Objectives: Epigenetic changes, particularly N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications, play a pivotal role in cancer development. This study explored the role of ovarian tumor deubiquitinase 7B (OTUD7B) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in the context of m6A methylation and the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) pathway. Methods: The GSE179267 dataset was used to conduct differential gene expression analysis to identify key m6A-enriched genes. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE), and Sequence-based RNA Adenosine Methylation Site Predictor (SRAMP) databases were used to evaluate the expression of OTUD7B in ESCC and its correlation with methyltransferase-like 14… More >

Mei Huang, Zhenyu Zhang, Yuqi Luo, Yuqi Wu, Dan Pan, Yu Zhou^*, Xiaobo Luo, Yuchen Jiang^*

BIOCELL, Vol.49, No.6, pp. 961-980, 2025, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.062918 - 24 June 2025

Abstract This review explores the pivotal role of circadian rhythm regulators, particularly the PER genes, in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC). As key constituents of the biological clock, PERs exhibit a downregulated expression pattern in OSCC, and the expression levels of PERs in OSCC patients are correlated with a favorable prognosis. PERs impact the occurrence and development of OSCC through multiple pathways. In the regulation of cell proliferation, they can function not only through cell cycle regulation but also via metabolic pathways. For example, PER1 can interact with receptors for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) and… More >